Road to Redemption
by laharvey125
Summary: After Loki's miserable failure to conquer Midgard, Thanos gives him a chance to redeem himself: find Miko Hayashi and bring her back. Little does Loki know that she's his Kitsune guardian, sent to guide him back onto his destined path. Can she help him realize his true potential and worth? Or has he fallen so far in darkness that he'll never again see the light?
1. Chapter 1: Broken

Loki's eyes opened as he felt the warmth of the first ray of dawn on his face. From his prison he silently observed the rising sun as it rose majestically. His eyes ached at the growing brightness but he didn't look away. That was ordinary pain therefore he barely registered the discomfort. Sunrise in Asgard was once a familiar sight as the golden city came to life with a majestic glow. It the most beautiful city in all the Nine Worlds…and a place he was once proud to call home. Now the familiar sight did not move him as it once did. He felt removed, detached, disconnected from the city of his childhood. It meant nothing to him now.

And yet…his heart ached with the burdensome memories. Why? Why did he remember at all? He lost so much in the cruel hands of Thanos, his own sanity almost. And yet he remembered bits and pieces of the past: the loving arms of Frigga as she whistled an ancient lullaby, the day Odin praised him for his acute intelligence and the time when he and Thor-

He clenched his teeth as his hands curled into trembling fists. No! He did _not_ want to remember any of his past! It had been nothing but a lie from the very beginning! He forced himself to think about something else, anything to keep those terrible memories dormant once more. His thoughts naturally drifted towards his miserable failure on Midgard. He smirked. _Sure why not? I'm in a rotten mood already. Why not be a masochist and dwell?_

It should have been easy. Midgardians aren't special. They're weak-willed, selfish, petty creatures who care for no one but themselves. And on top of that they're only mortal which makes them fragile. They should have been easy to conquer. It's a shame that Thor and this band of Avengers were up to the challenge. How did five little humans and one arrogant God defeat an _entire_ army? Even now…he still didn't understand how. He sighed as his gaze dropped down his hands that now rested on his lap. Oh well, theorizing about it wasn't going to get him out of this mess. He didn't care about his up-coming trial in Asgard; he could easily postpone sentencing by leaking tantalizing information, they'd waste so much time verifying it that he knew them reaching a verdict anytime soon wasn't likely. They were the least of his problems. His brow knit with concern as he remembered the Chitauri's threat: _If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can not find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain._

He sighed as he rested his head back against the wall. Back then he had easily dismissed it, full of pride and confidence. He was a God after all. How could he possibly fail? Now here he sat, shackled like a common thief. How long had it been now? One week? Two weeks? Each day was as boring as the one before. His brow knit with concern. Why hasn't Thanos punished him yet? Initially he was very concerned about being tortured all over again and the terror hadn't fully ebbed even with the passage of time. Why? Why is he suddenly so silent? The anticipation was almost more than he could stand. He was always one step ahead of the rest, calculating and methodical, and now to be left completely in the dark concerning his fate was unbearable. Perhaps that was Thano's intention, to drive him mad in isolation…well almost isolation.

Just then the lock in the door clinked as the jailer unlocked it from the outside. Loki narrowed his eyes as Thor entered the room. Every day he came…and every day it irritated Loki to no end. Thor stood there in his resplendent robes, devoid of his usual armor. And that crown on his head…Loki scowled softly as the very sight offended him. That crown should have been his. He had been the more responsible one, more interested in seeking peaceful alternatives where Thor had gone smashing through with that silly hammer of his. Picking Thor to rule had been one of Odin's many mistakes…as well as allowing a sickly frost giant baby to survive.

"Hello brother," Thor said as he took a seat. "How are you feeling this morning?"

He was really asking that? What a moron. But what did he expect from a dumb blonde? A delicious smile spread across Loki's smug face. "Never better. In fact I daresay I've never had finer accommodations."

Thor smirked back in response to his brother's jest and folded his arms across his broad chest as he reclined back in his seat. "You never let anything unnerve you. You could probably eat a raw egg with a genuine smile." He chuckled.

He went on to reminisce about some of their past adventures but Loki effectively tuned him out. When Thor first started coming to see him, Loki had thought that Thor was subtly trying to get information out of him. Now after weeks of similar visits, it seemed that Thor was only interested in recalling supposedly great memories of their childhood together. Why bother? What Thor looked fondly back on Loki found offensive. No one likes to be reminded of being tricked. Now Loki had reached the end of his patience. "What compels you to come here?"

Thor blinked in surprise. "Is it not obvious?"

"Most things you do are, but this time not so much."

Thor's gaze softened. "I'm trying to reach you brother."

Loki stood up and approached the energy cell wall. "That's not so difficult, deactivate the wall and touch me. Surely you didn't need me to explain that to you."

Thor frowned at the veiled insult. "That is not what I meant."

"Then elaborate."

Thori sighed and shook his head in exasperation. "Does our past truly mean nothing to you?"

Loki's expression darkened. Did Thor really think he could undo years of agonizing torture with one inspirational speech? The damage was done and there was _no_ going back. "I look as fondly on those times as I do at the prospect of being devoured alive by a poison-fanged Rhesfaran." He sneered.

Thor looked pained at this. "I agree that Father should have told you the truth sooner, but that does not mean that we didn't love you."

Loki pressed a hand over his heart as he faked a sympathetic expression. "Oh how it warms the heart, an Asgardian pitying a Frost Giant," he said sarcastically. "Truly inspiring. As if you could so easily dismiss your hatred of them."

"You are my brother," Thor said firmly as he stepped closer. "Even if we are not connected by birth. It is my hope that one day…you will realize that and come home."

"Here I am," Loki smiled coldly as he held his hand out. "And I feel welcome already." Then his expression grew pained as he felt a terrible twist in his stomach, as if his insides were squeezed by some invisible source. He was all too familiar with this sensation. The time had finally come, he realized with rising panic. Thanos was summoning him and Loki's shape started to blur and fade away.

"Loki! Stop!" Thor cried out as he reached out towards him. Loki didn't have the pleasure of saying last words but even if he'd had the chance to he had nothing to say to his fake brother. The sight of his prison cell faded away and was soon replaced with the dreary wasteland of Kalvogon. Before it fully came into focus he was slammed into the ground face-first.

"You're not fit to be a God," Thanos sneered. "You're not even fit to live, taking away valuable air from those more deserving of it!" His large hand ground Loki's face into the rocky terrain, cutting it up. Loki did not resist for he knew it would only prolong the pain. "Laufey knew the right way to deal with you when he left you for dead. Even in your infancy he knew you were worthless!"

Loki's left hand curled into a defiant fist. He was not worthless! He was the son of a King! It didn't matter that Laufey had abandoned him. Royal blood, the thirst to command and control, coursed through his veins. That alone set him apart and made him special. It was one of the few truths that he desperately clung to. None of this he said aloud of course, that would only worsen Thanos' temper. On he continued to rage as he slammed Loki repeatedly into the ground, hard enough that his nose broke. Then he wrenched the battered man to his feet and glared severely. Loki wiped the blood from his nose on the sleeve of his white prison robe. "I don't suppose you'd accept an apology?"

Thanos snarled and slammed him so hard into the ground that he fell several hundred feet through the rocky soil and landed in a stream of molten lava that flowed below the surface of the planet. Only then did Loki scream. Granted falling into lava would be painful enough for a God (not to mention lethal to humans) but for a Frost Giant the pain was ten-fold. Their sensitivity to heat was extreme. He then broke through the lava's surface with a gut-wrenching scream that made his lungs ache. He gasped for air as his limbs twitched uselessly and his eyes rolled back into his head. He was on the verge of blacking out. This has happened before…so very long ago…and he knew that in order to survive, he'd have to drag himself out of the molten stream. Moving through it made every cell in his body in agony as he forced himself to move swim to the shore. _I won't die here! Not like this!_ He gritted his teeth. With a growl of determination he grabbed hold of the jagged rocks with his blistered hands and dragged himself up and onto the rocky ledge. Curled up in fetal position the once proud and dignified King of Asgard laid trembling like a newborn child as silent tears trickled down his scarred face.

Ominous footsteps echoed throughout the cavern. It could only be Thanos. He clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. He wanted to give in to the darkness; to slip into eternal sleep, never to awaken to the miserable existence he found himself in. "You will find no peace in death," Thanos murmured as if he'd read his mind. For all Loki knew, he probably could. "Just as how you've found none in life." He kicked Loki onto his back and ground the heel of his boot into his chest. Loki's blood-shot eyes widened as he gasped for air. The pressure on his chest only exacerbated the already excruciating pain. "I gave you one simple task; retrieve the Tesseract," Thanos' chilling whisper sounded like thunder. "I gave you everything you needed to succeed: A scepter containing a portion of my power and several legions of Chitauri at your disposal. And yet you still failed."

Loki's emerald eyes were unfocused and his breathing grew shallower. He had no desire to fight back or protest against his cruel words. In the beginning he had…and ever since had been paying the price for his reckless words.

"Do you know why you failed?" Thanos growled. "Because you're even weaker than those miserable humans…and I have no use for failures." He grabbed hold of Loki's collar, his menacing eyes bore into his sending a chill down Loki's spine. "I saved you because I saw once potential in you. Then you were a poor, misguided fool searching for meaning…a reason to exist. _I_ am that reason! You were meant to serve _me! I_ alone give you purpose!"

Thanos continued on, purring lies about Loki needing him and how he should be more grateful to him. After all he could have left him for dead. "No one else recognized your worth. I alone believed in you Loki. You would be nothing without me." Loki managed a small nod. Vulnerable and delirious with pain he saw wisdom behind the abuse. There can be purpose in pain, power even. If he too harnessed that power, the Nine Worlds would be his for the taking. But he needed Thanos to show him the way. He…was… grateful…

Thanos grinned cruelly to see Loki submit to his will once again. It didn't take as long this time to break him; the Asgardian was so pathetic and spineless. But that worked to his advantage; Loki was a valuable tool, the perfect minion. And he was needed once more. "There is one way you can make up for your failure," Thanos continued in his enticing tone, drawing Loki in with the promise of redemption.

"Anything," Loki's voice cracked.

"Bring Miko Hayashi to me."

"W-where can I…f-find him?" Loki choked out. It hurt so much to talk, the pain started to ebb but it left him so weak.

"You won't," Thanos said. "She will find you."

Loki's brow knit in confusion. He was supposed to retrieve a girl? That's it? That didn't sound so hard. Then he gasped as Thanos' hand closed around his throat and squeezed. "I've gone easy on you but if you fail me again, I will kill you slowly by dragging your lives out one by one. Then you will realize that you have never felt true pain."

* * *

A/N: Well friends...the impossible has happened. I've written my first non-Naruto fanfic! Heck, this isn't even anime-based! But I loved the Avengers movie so much, (especially Loki's transformation) that I just had to write a story about him. So Loki fans please be patient with me as I get used to capturing his unique personality. I also think I ought to explain about Miko Hayashi, especially for those who are familiar with her in my Heart Series. This is that same lovable Kitsune BUT in this universe she never met Itachi or had her family. This is just another life for her so hopefully that makes sense.


	2. Chapter 2: New Assignment

In the dead of night Miko sat up in bed, her crimson eyes flew open. "He's here." She whispered with a pleased smile on her lips. Climbing out of bed she slipped on a winter jacket and a pair of boots before stepping outside. Despite the blustery winter chill her smile never faded. She had been waiting for him a long time and was excited to get this new assignment underway. Her footsteps crunched and squeaked under crust of snow that covered the ground. She slipped a few times and nearly fell but she pressed on. Time was of the essence.

On the outskirts of Sleepy Hollow, she found a man lying unconscious on his back in the middle of intricate pattern that seared the ground around him. He wore a stiff white uniform that was stained with blood down the front. His wavy ebony hair swayed slightly as the wind swept through the open plain. She stood over him, looking down at his bruised and battered body. Yet despite the ugly bruises he had a serene countenance that really made him look sweet. She cocked her head to the side and her smile grew wider. "At last we meet, Loki of Asgard."

It took considerable work to drag his dead weight back to her house and she heaved him onto her bed with a grunt. "For a skinny guy you sure weight a lot," she grumbled as she rubbed her sore arms and stretched her stiff back. His head rolled to side as he remained unconscious. Still his eyelids trembled slightly and his left hand curled into a gentle fist. She left the room to grab the first aid kit from the bathroom and returned to his side. He twitched slightly as she set about cleaning the cuts on his face. She sat by his side working on his other injuries, her brow knit sympathetically. Poor man, why does he allow himself to be abused by Thanos? He has potential, even greater than he could ever imagine, so why does he squander it so?

After a while she let out a big yawn. It was nearly dawn now; it had taken her longer than she had anticipated cleaning and dressing his numerous wounds with bandages. Her fingers ached and her eyes drooped down. In a tired stupor she grabbed a change of clothes that she'd been saving for him and some snacks and set both on the nightstand. That should take care of him if he wakes up before she does. Satisfied, she went to sleep on the couch and curled up with a fleece blanket.

When Loki woke up, it was night once again. His eyes blinked wearily and he groaned as he slowly stretched his sore and achy body. "Back to the land of the living, what fun" he grumbled slightly as he forced himself to sit up. Then he noticed the bandage on his left hand. Checking himself he found several others too, with soothing salve that cooled each wound. He frowned curiously. It wasn't like Thanos to treat the injuries he inflicted. He looked around the room. He didn't recognize the surroundings. The room was small with red walls. The room was sparsely filled with simple furnishings: a dresser, a desk, a bookcase with a random collection of books in many languages, and a floor-length mirror. He cautiously stood up and staggered to the window and drew the curtains back. He frowned at the sight of the snow-covered New England town. His critical emerald gaze took in the architecture; the style looked like those used in Midgard. Is that where Thanos sent him? For a moment he felt a sense of dread. If he was in Midgard, then would he encounter those Avengers again? He stiffened when he heard a knock at the door and looked over his shoulder with a suspicious glare. Were they here already? Surely not. He doubted they'd have the courtesy to knock. They come in lasers blazing, arrows flying, and general smashing mayhem. "Who is it?" He asked cautiously.

The door creaked open and he was surprised to see a girl in her early twenties enter the room. She was unlike any Midgardian he had ever seen before. She had waist-long hair that was black as jet with white along the ends and bangs. And those eyes…those crimson eyes…were unlike anything he'd ever encountered in this world. She smiled warmly at him. "Good you're awake. How are you feeling? Any better?"

He blinked slowly as it dawned on him. "You…are responsible for this?" He asked as he raised his bandaged hands.

She nodded. "You were in pretty rough shape when I brought you inside last night."

"Why did you do that? For a stranger like me?" He didn't understand her concern; it was unnatural for a Midgardian to be so selfless.

"We're not strangers," she said as she set a plate of hot food on the nightstand by the clothes and untouched snacks.

"I do not know you," Loki frowned down at her.

She grinned impishly at him which took him aback. "But I know who you are; Loki, son of Odin and Crown Prince of Asgard."

Snarling he grabbed hold of her shirt and yanked her close. His expression was livid. "Were you sent by Thor?"

"No of course not, chill out," she said as she gently pushed him away.

He frowned. "Chill…out? What?"

"Just relax," she reassured him. "All I'm saying is that I know who you are."

He considered this thoughtfully for a moment. "And do you know why I've been sent here?"

"Yep, to capture me and bring me back to your Master."

His eyes widened as all color drained from his already pale face. "You…are Miko Hayashi?" He asked breathlessly.

She nodded and laughed as if she found the whole situation amusing. "The one and only," she smiled sweetly.

What good fortune! He lunged to grab her but stumbled clumsily and she easily side-stepped him. He landed hard, cracking his head against the hardwood floors. He groaned and cursed under his breath as he grabbed his aching head. She heaved a dramatic sigh. "You should have waited until you were fully healed to try capturing me."

She was right but he wouldn't admit it. "Call it instinct," he smirked gently as he sat up.

"I call it stupid," she said as she turned to leave the room.

He glared at her. "Stupid?" No one ever called him that.

"Yes, stupid," she repeated as she look at him over her shoulder. "And besides there's no need to resort to brutal force. I'll go with you when you're fit for travel."

Again she took him by surprise. He couldn't believe it. "You're coming willingly?"

She nodded. "Of course," she said matter-of-factly. "So eat up already, that food is getting cold." And with that she closed the door behind her.

For some time he sat and stared at the door. What…was going on around here? This was impossible. There's no way he'd find her so quickly, let alone surrender herself to him. It had to be a dream of some kind. His nose tickled as he caught the scent of dinner. That was real enough. He carefully approached the nightstand and sat down on the bed. He leaned forward and sniffed it. It smelled good but it didn't look that great. He took a spoon and dipped it into the hearty beef stew. He took a cautious bite, gagged, and spat it back into the bowl. The broth was too salty for his taste. He tried the rolls instead and found them adequate. He had this problem last time with Midgardian food, it never tasted good. No wonder humans are so weak, they subsist on such mediocre food.

Then he noticed the clothes. She had provided those as well? While he deplored the simplicity of Midgardian garb, he wasn't interested in wearing his blood-stained prison clothes either. He stripped out of his clothes and pulled on black stonewash jeans and a white v-neck shirt. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. The clothes perfectly hugged his long and lean figure. How did she know his size? He frowned at the door. There was definitely more to that girl than met the eye.

* * *

Thor searched Asgard from top to bottom but there was no sign of his wayward brother. He had hoped that he would find him without telling his father but it was no use. He'd have to tell him now. Odin was in his private study looking over an atlas when Thor entered. His father didn't even look up. "You look worried, my son."

"There is plenty to worry about," Thor said grimly. "I regret to inform you that Loki has escaped."

Odin seemed just as serene as before and turned the page of his book. "Yes, I know."

Thor stared at him open-mouthed. "You mean to say that you knew? Knew and did nothing?"

"Nothing?" Odin asked curiously as he looked at his son at last. "Oh no, I have been hard at work."

"Doing what?" Thor asked, trying to keep the accusation out of his tone.

"A few days ago I received a visitor," Odin said as he closed the book. "From Vanaheimr, our sister country."

Thor was again surprised. Although Vanaheimr was descended from Asgard and relations were at present peaceful, little contact had been made between the two worlds. This was very unusual. Odin smiled slyly at his son's astonishment. "From their King no less."

"What did he want?"

"He asked that I not interfere with Loki should he manage to escape." Those from Vanaheimr were well-known for their ability to see into the future. They did not often volunteer information so this warning came as a surprise.

Thor's hands curled into fists. "You mean to say that you knew he would escape and yet did nothing to prevent it?"

"Who am I to change fate?" Odin asked innocently. "Or you for that matter. No, my son it is best that we leave Loki be for now."

Thor pulled back. "How can you say that after everything he's done? There is blood on his hands that cry for vengeance!" While he did love his brother, he was not ignorant of his crimes. Loki had to pay the price for his sins.

"Because he is currently under the care of a Kitsune."

Thor's eyes widened. "A Kitsune?" He asked reverently.

Odin nodded solemnly. "Now you understand."

Indeed he did. Long had Kitsune been respected as guardians who guide those onto their destined path. "Where is he now?"

"Somewhere in Midgard, that is all I know at present."

Thor's eyes narrowed seriously. "Then I must inform the Avengers."

"Is that wise?" Odin asked.

"I don't know," Thor confessed as he walked away. "But they'll kill me if I don't at least warn them."

Traveling to Midgard was harder without the Bifrost but was still possible. It just took a little longer. By the time he had arrived, Loki had been in Miko's care for three days. Thor immediately went to Tony Stark's tower which was now the location for the Avengers. Naturally only Tony lived there, but he liked the idea of promoting heroism to the city. His friends knew that it was more bragging in general really, ego-fluffing and what not than true camaraderie. Still he had access to all kinds of technology and information that it made sense to headquarter there.

Tony answered the door dressed in a tuxedo. He was disappointed to see Thor on his doorstep. "You seriously couldn't have picked a worse time," he sighed.

"I am sorry to inconvenience you-"

"Well you have," Tony interrupted. "I've got very important plans for tonight-"

"Loki has escaped from Asgard and is hiding here in your realm," Thor blurted out, determined to not be turned away.

"-which I'll have to now cancel," Tony said without missing a beat. He turned to walk back into the house, leaving the door open. Thor took that as sign that he was welcome to come inside so he did and closed the door behind him. Tony was on the phone making his apologies to Pepper. Then he hung up and turned towards Thor. "So what happened?" Tony asked tersely.

"He just vanished."

"Vanished?" Tony asked skeptically. "Like out of thin air?"

Thor nodded. "He is somewhere in Midgard though I do not know his location."

"Of course not, that'd be way too easy," Tony scoffed with mild sarcasm. "It looks like I'll have to call the others to action."

"That should not be necessary," Thor reassured him. "He's in the care of a Kitsune."

"I don't care if he's with the Pope!" Tony snapped. "If he's here we're going to find him!"

Thor tried to explain the importance of Kitsune but Tony cut him off. "I don't have time for your folklore. We've got a crisis on our hands now and we can't afford to waste any time. Are you going to help us find him or not?" Thor sighed and nodded. "Good," Tony said with a smile. "I just finished the design of the Avengers night-signal and have been itching to try it out."


	3. Chapter 3: Miko's Family

An hour later the Avengers were gathered at Headquarters, naturally Tony threw a fit. "Seriously guys, what took you so friggin' long? Had it been another alien invasion they would have leveled the city by now!"

"Oh shut up," Natasha rolled her eyes.

"You know I'm pretty sure that night signal thing is copy-righted by Batman," Barton submitted as he sat beside her on the couch.

"Batman's not real, you idiot," she frowned at him.

"But he did have some pretty cool gadgets. I'd love to have a tool belt like his," he said wistfully.

"I liked the signal," Bruce said quietly, feeling a little shy. "It was most effective."

"Thank you!" Tony said emphatically. "See? Bruce knows what I was trying to do."

"But it only works if people happen to be looking out the window at the time," Steve pointed out. "Which most of us weren't."

"Yeah I noticed," Tony grumbled. "What a waste of $25,000 just because ya'll were too lazy to look outside. Only Bruce noticed but I had to call the rest of you on the phone. No superhero should ever have to call his teammates, that's super lame." Then he mimicked talking to an invisible phone. "Hey there Superman, I'm pummeling some villains here on 42nd street. You available?"

Barton snickered at the joke but Natasha narrowed her eyes in an irritated manner. "You could make those red phones that light up," Bruce offered. Tony looked confused for a second so Bruce explained, "You know, the one the Chief of Police uses to call Batman in that one movie?"

"Another great idea inspired by the Dark Knight," Barton pointed on. "I'm telling you he had the _best_-"

"Brothers please!" Thor boomed over them all. "And sister," he nodded to Natasha. "We've called you here on an urgent matter. Loki has escaped from prison and is here in your world once again."

"WHAT?!" The others screamed as they jumped to their feet. Poor Barton looked sick to his stomach and for good reason.

"But how?" Natasha asked hoarsely. "You said that only prisons on Asgard could contain him!"

"The cells are impenetrable," Thor started uneasily. "But he did not break free. As far as we can tell he was teleported out by some unknown being."

"How do you know he didn't do it himself?" Barton growled softly. "He's perfectly capable."

"His cell had the necessary seals to prevent him from using his power," Thor explained. "As a standard precaution, all prison cells in Asgard have a series of seals that block all known magical spells. Whatever power that took him is an ancient one no longer used by my people."

"Could it be that his alien friends helped him escape?" Bruce suggested.

"It is possible," Thor said slowly.

"But what's he doing back on Earth?" Steve asked with a frown. "He knows the Tesseract isn't here. Is he still bent on world domination?"

Thor sighed and lowered his head. He was totally unprepared for the questions he should have known they were going to ask. "I don't know, I really don't. All I know is that he is currently in the care of a Kitsune."

Silence filled the room until Natasha broke it. "Meaning what?"

"They are revered in my world as divine protectors who guide the wayward back onto their destined path."

Tony raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Wayward? That's what you'd call that psycho?"

Steve stood up. "Then the plan is obvious. We track him down."

Just then elevator door slid open to reveal the mysterious Nick Fury. He held a briefcase in his hand and smirked gently at their surprise. "Already have," he said smugly.

Tony groaned. "What are you doing here? How did you even get inside?"

"I'm a spy, breaking into places is my specialty," he said matter-of-factly. "But I'm glad that you're all aware of the situation. I was just about to contact you myself." He set the briefcase on the table and the others gathered around him. He took out some photographs showing the site where Loki had landed. "We found this on the outskirts of Sleepy Hollow, NY two days ago. Loki's DNA was on the site."

"Two days?" Natasha frowned. "And you've waited this long to tell us?"

Nick glared at her. "It took time to verify the evidence. I came as soon as I knew."

"It's a government run program, what did you expect?" Tony smirked.

"And you found only Loki's DNA?" Thor asked pointedly.

Nick frowned. "What do you mean _only_ his?"

"Thor claims that Loki didn't come alone, but with a something called a Kitsune," Steve explained.

Nick blinked in surprise. "A Kitsune? What's that?"

"Doesn't matter," Tony cut Thor off mid-explanation. "We need to take Rudolph down before he wreaks havoc again."

"Rudolph?" Barton asked curiously.

"That's my little nickname for the twerp," Tony explained. Silence followed as the others looked at him strangely. "Oh c'mon guys, am I seriously the only one who thinks those antlers on his helmet are femmy? It's kinda hard to take him seriously when he looks so ridiculous." Bruce snickered at this.

"There was quite a lot of blood found at the site," Nick continued on. "Judging by the amount he was pretty badly hurt." Thor went pale at this but no one noticed. "That will probably slow him down a little. He may still be within the town."

"Then lets move out," Steve said firmly.

* * *

Loki groaned softly as he stirred awake. He was lying down in a feather bed, the silk sheets felt good against his sore, sensitive skin. Every part of his body still ached terribly. He let his breath out in a hiss as something cool was spread across his bare chest. That was when he realized that Miko was sitting beside him, rubbing his chest. He caught her firmly by the wrist to stop her. "What do you think you're doing?!" He snapped.

"Reapplying medicine," she said seriously. "Your wounds are still pretty bad."

"That's not your place," he said firmly, eyes narrowed. "I can take care of myself."

"Don't be so stubborn," she said as she pulled her hand free. "I'm just trying to help."

"I don't want your help," he growled as he struggled to sit up.

"Careful!" She protested but he ignored her. He took the medicine from her hand and tried to apply it himself but his hands shook too much. He fumbled it and it fell onto his lap. She picked it up with a sigh. "Just let me do it."

"No!" He glared as he snatched it back, but his raised voice didn't faze her a bit. In fact she seemed amused by his temper.

"You're going to make my job a lot harder with that attitude," she smiled mischievously.

"Job?" he asked suspiciously. "What job?"

"I'd tell you," she said as she plucked it from his hand. "But then I'd have to kill you." She flashed him a perfectly wicked grin. He blinked in surprise but she laughed. "I'm just teasing you, relax already." He was silent for a moment and watched her continue to apply the salve. The touch was gentle; her fingertips were surprisingly smooth against his skin. The medicine tingled pleasantly and then she set about wrapping fresh bandages to cover it. "It's healing slowly but well," she said. "You should be ready to travel in a few more days."

He frowned thoughtfully. Why was she doing this? "Don't think that you'll get any gratitude from me for this. I _will_ turn you in to Thanos."

"I know," she said softly as she stood up. Loki had no idea what Thanos intended to do with her…but she did and it sent an involuntary shudder down her spine. But it was fate; nothing can be altered from its decreed course. She set the first aid kit on the nightstand and was silent for a while. Then she turned towards him with a smile. "Don't rush the recovery with that stubborn pride of yours. Especially if you're in such a hurry to turn me in." She winked playfully and stood up. "You're welcome by the way."

He scowled at her and remained silent as she left the room. To thank her would indebt him to her, and he wouldn't allow that. She was foolish to treat his injuries. It would have been in her best interests to save herself by finishing him off in his weakened state. But she didn't. Why? His gaze lingered at the closed door as his brow furrowed slightly. In the privacy of this room he allowed himself a faint shadow of a smile.

Miko scrubbed her hands in the bathroom sink; that salve is always hard to wash off. As she dried her hands on a towel her heart started to race. Her eyes widened as she detected a strong presence. She ran from the bathroom into the living room and peeked through the curtains. She couldn't see them yet but she knew that they were here. The Avengers were in Sleepy Hollow. No doubt they were looking for Loki. That didn't surprise her; it was only natural given their last disastrous encounter. But she didn't need to worry, long ago she had learned to mask her divine power to avoid detection from S.H.I.E.L.D. and other similar organizations. She had a similar seal placed on the house so they would be safe as long as they remained indoors.

Just then she sensed Loki's presence behind her. "What are you doing up?" She asked as she closed the curtains tightly.

"Am I supposed to be a prisoner?" He asked with a slight tease in his cold tone.

"Of course not, go anywhere you like," she smiled as she looked at him over her shoulder. He leaned with one hand against the wall to keep his balance. She noticed his bandaged chest heaved slightly, proof that his little walk down the hallway had taken a toll on him. She smirked slightly, he was pretty darn handsome. He wouldn't be considered so in Asgard, a world where brawn was favored over brains, but he had a devious sort of charm about him. He was the classic bad boy, sexy but not to be trusted by any stretch of the imagination. She folded her arms across her chest. "Remember not to push yourself. Those wounds are deeper than they look."

"I'm just fine," he grumbled as he staggered forward.

She reached out and poked him hard in the chest, causing him to wince with pain. "Reality disagrees with you," she giggled as she patted his shoulder and walked past him.

He rubbed his sore chest with a grimace. Maybe she was right. He looked around the living room. It was sparsely furnished; obviously this wasn't a place she stayed in for long amounts of time. The only thing unusual was a large amount of photographs that covered one entire wall. While she was in most of them, he quickly noticed that there was a different person inside each one. He frowned; the people were of varying ethnic groups and wore different styles of clothes; most of them were less modern than others. What connection did she have with each one? He flinched when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Miko handed him a hot cup of spiced cider. He took a small hesitant sip and was pleasantly surprised at its rich taste. His next sip was a larger one.

"I'm glad you like it," she said with a pleased smile.

"Who are all these people?" He gestured with his mug before taking another sip.

"My family," she said softly.

He coughed and gagged on his drink. "What?! But that's impossible! You don't look anything like those people!"

"I didn't say we were related by blood," she clarified as she reached out toward a withered and faded photograph. She looked to be about five years old then, held in the arms of a man who wore a Japanese kimono. He thought he saw tears gathering in her eyes as her features softened. "This was my first father, Goro Hayashi. He's the one who gave me my name." Her voice trailed off for a moment as she stared in reverence at the picture. Loki's hand trembled slightly as his heart ached. She clearly loved her adoptive father…and once he had loved his own. He lowered his gaze; he didn't want to remember Odin with anything but contempt. "He's the only one…who_ really_ knew me," she whispered. "And it didn't change how he felt about me. He was wise, insightful, and had a terrific sense of humor. He is exactly what I wish my father had been like."

"You don't know your father?" He asked in surprise.

"Not personally. I was sent away as a child." Her hand slipped from the photograph and she took a step back to look at the rest with a smile. "This is my family…all of my mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. Each took me in and loved me as their own."

"But they abandoned you in the end," He said in a harsh tone as his heart hardened.

"Well…not really," she confessed. "More like, I abandoned them."

He stared at her in shock. "But why? Why would you do that to people you cared for?"

She fixed him with a penetrating gaze. "Why did you abandon yours?" He narrowed his eyes angrily at her as her sharp observance pricked his heart. She sighed and looked sadly at the picture frames again. "It wasn't easy to do but my job requires me…to move around a lot."

Again there was that reference to a job. He frowned suspiciously. "Are you a spy? An assassin?"

She laughed and shook her head as she took his empty cup. "Nothing as ordinary as that. I'll go make dinner; hopefully you'll eat some of it this time."

He doubted it but said nothing as he turned his attention towards the wall again. His critical gaze swept over each photograph thoroughly. In every picture of Miko she wore a broad smile as did the others posing with her. It was obvious that they were close. It's incredible to think that she was close to all of them. Her heart must be very large to be so loving and accepting of so many. His hand clenched into a fist. How is that possible? How can she accept a family that is not her own? You don't get to pick and chose. In his own case, his was forced upon him. Once he knew the truth, he couldn't live with the lie any longer. So how could she do it time after time…and still smile so warmly?


	4. Chapter 4: Discovered

The Avengers were frustrated and disappointed to find no trace of Loki in Sleepy Hollow. With absolutely no clues, there was nothing left to go on. Now they had no choice but to wait for Loki to make the next move. Meanwhile he had no idea they had even been in town. He focused on regaining his strength and allowing his body time to heal. Still, he knew that Thanos would be furious with the delay, even though it was his fault.

One morning he rose early one morning and slowly unwrapped the bandages. His pale skin glowed in the rising suns light, smooth and unblemished. Whatever she'd used had even healed the old scars. He frowned slightly. It's a shame that he had to turn her over to Thanos. For the past week he found her to be a sweet, lively, and selfless girl. He trembled to think of how quickly and easily Thanos would break her. Still it was his job and it was time to do it.

He jumped when he heard something in the distance shatter. "Oh crap!" He heard Miko groan. He ran into the kitchen to see her kneeling on the floor amidst shards of glass. "Stay back, there's glass everywhere," she said as she started to clean up the mess.

"What happened here?"

"I was unloading the dishwasher and dropped a casserole dish by accident. I can be such a klutz." He knelt down to help. "Careful! It's really sharp," she warned.

"I don't need you to tell me that," he said in annoyance. Did she think he was a child? Then he gasped as he cut his finger.

"I told you so!" She giggled as he sucked the blood off his finger.

He couldn't help but wear a rueful smile. "Yes indeed." She took his hand and kissed his fingertip. He flinched with a slight frown. "What was that for?"

"Its Midgardian magic," she teased. "A kiss makes everything better."

His smile faded as he watched her smile and his stomach twisted ever so slightly. Her friendliness was making it difficult for him to follow through, or had that been her intention all along? He pulled his hand away and she finished cleaning up the mess by herself. She threw it away in the trash and set about making breakfast. He approached her from behind and gently grabbed hold of her arms. "It's time," he murmured.

She sighed and lowered her head. "Yes, I know." She was silent for a moment and then looked over her shoulder, her gaze steady. "I'm ready."

_No she isn't, she can't be_, he thought sadly to himself. _She has no idea what she's getting herself into. _But he was silent as she slipped on her winter coat and handed him one. If she knew then she'd resist him and the last thing he wanted to do was drag her back kicking and screaming. Let her innocence last for however long it can, it was the greatest mercy he could afford to give her. Once outside he raised the collar of his over-coat to partially cover his face. The cold didn't affect him at all; in fact he found the temperature quite pleasing. Miko walked by his side. Her arms wrapped around herself and her teeth chattered. He glanced at her curiously, her gaze was resolute and her expression composed. It was a quiet dignity that seemed at odds with her playful personality. She was an interesting girl. Once he thought she knew who she was, she'd do something that changed his opinion of her yet again.

New snow started to fall all around them as the old crunched beneath their feet. There was nothing to say, both knew that this day would come. Still that didn't make it any easier for him. He hardened his heart by reminding himself that he barely knew her and that her well-being was no concern of his.

When they arrived at the teleport site, he stood in the center and held onto her tightly. "Not so hard," she flinched at the pressure but he didn't lessen it. He didn't want to risk losing her during the journey back. He closed his eyes as he uttered the spell that would summon him back to Kalvogon. He waited for the seal to glow around them, for that gut-wrenching sensation of being sucked into another realm…but nothing happened. Nothing at all. He opened his eyes to see Miko looking up at him. "This should be working," he said in dismay.

"Meaning that it isn't?" She asked.

He sighed and let go. "Correct." He inspected the seal on the ground and discovered a hairline crack in one spot. Even something that small broke the seal and made it unusable. He sighed and ran a hand through his ebony hair. Now what was he supposed to do? To teleport between worlds a bridge was needed of some kind. No amount of individual power was strong enough to replicate that. There had to be a way to return to Kalvogon. He thought long and hard about it when it suddenly came to him: the Zayren Relics. Long before the Bifrost was created, Asgard used a crude form of magic that focused teleportation on seemingly ordinary objects scattered throughout a planet. All he had to do was touch it while envisioning Kalvogon firmly in his mind. It was such an old form of magic that it was no longer practiced. But as far as he remembered the Relics were still on the planet, abandoned but not deactivated. It was a long shot but still worth looking into.

He held out his left hand, summoning his scepter out of thin air. He waved it in an intricate manner as he summoned his power. The wind whipped up around them within the circle. He closed his eyes as he let the power flow through him, extending his sight throughout the world. Each Relic had a unique tracker that made it easy to find and he located fifty of them, with five of them in this country. The closest one was located in a place called South Carolina. He reached out to grab hold of her. "Let's go." He said firmly and she nodded.

They shot up into the air. She cried out and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He smirked to feel her body press against his. Its interesting the effect a woman's soft curves can have on a man, regardless of personal interest. He wrapped one arm around her waist while he held his scepter out. The Relic was drawing them in, using his scepter like a tractor beam. Suddenly he felt something was wrong.

"Someone's coming!" Miko cried out as she pointed behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Thor flying towards them. Loki frowned darkly, so Thor was able to track him when he used his power. He should have known something like that would happen. Normally he'd relish the opportunity to beat the crap out of Thor, but he couldn't risk losing Miko. She was his top priority; besides there would be other battles. He whipped around to face him.

"Loki stop!" Thor growled as he raised his hammer.

"Don't be so hasty," Loki said as he pressed his scepter against Miko's throat. "Not if you value her life!" And of course Thor would, heroes are so easy to manipulate. They aren't willing to sacrifice others.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"Promoting you from captive to hostage," he smirked cruelly.

"Lucky me," she said dryly.

"Don't be rash!" Thor called out. "Let her go and we'll talk."

"Perhaps another time," Loki said as he shot a blast of energy from his scepter. It hit Thor squarely in the chest, making him the focal source of the Relic's tractor beam instead. Thor was pulled along against his will towards it while Loki and Miko dropped back down to the ground and landed in the middle of a forest clearing. He looked up into the sky to see the light of the energy beam fade away. He was disappointed to lose the opportunity to secure the Relic but it was the only way to get out without a fight. Hopefully Thor wouldn't recognize it for what it was and odds are he wouldn't. Sorcery wasn't his strength.

"You jerk!" Miko snapped at him as she shoved him back. "What'd you do that for?!"

He grabbed hold of the front of her shirt and stuck his face in hers. "Don't forget that you're my captive and that_ I_ call the shots!" He growled.

Far from backing down, fire blazed in her eyes. "I'm _not _your captive!" she seethed. "I came freely so don't you dare use me as bait!"

A vein throbbed in his forehead as his temper flared. How dare she talk to him like that? As if they were on the same level? He's an immortal God and she's a fragile human. He ought to put her in her place, show her what happens when she gets out of line. And yet he hesitated. Her cheeks flushed with anger, but those crimson eyes blazed with anger, pride, determination…and for a moment he saw himself in her. He chuckled grimly as he let go and patted her cheek in a patronizing manner. "You've got spirit, kid. I'll give you that. But talk to me like that again and you'll regret it," he sneered before turning away to look at their surroundings. He folded his arms across his chest and tapped his elbow in thought. Thor was somehow able to track him when he used his power…which meant that he would have to go about this a whole different way. He scowled slightly at the barbaric idea of going without magic. It would take so much longer to reach the Relics without it, but at least this way they might not be followed. He started to walk into the forest. "Change of plans, we're going to walk there instead," he said authoritatively.

"Walk? To where?" Miko asked.

"South Carolina."

"You're kidding right?" She snorted in derision.

"That is our new destination." He said seriously.

"Thanos lives in South Carolina?" She asked skeptically.

"Of course not!" He snapped impatiently. "There's another portal there."

"We can't walk from New York to South Carolina!" She protested.

"We're not in New York; we're in a land called Virginia." He said matter-of-factly.

"We are?" She asked in surprise. "Well we can't walk from there either, that's still too far away." She marched past him.

He frowned at her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to find the nearest town and figure out _exactly_ where in Virginia we are," she said without looking back. "Seriously how did you expect to conquer this world when you know so little about its geography?"

He couldn't believe her nerve. How dare she mock him! He narrowed his eyes furiously. "I warned you about disrespecting me," he said tersely.

She stopped and grinned at him over her shoulder. "You're in _my_ world now. So unless you plan on flying us there it looks like _I'll_ be the one calling the shots."

That did it! She just laughed at his thunderous expression and took off running.

"Get back here!" He snapped as he chased after her. "I'll teach you to disrespect a God!"

"I don't think I need your help to do that!" She laughed as she weaved among the trees.

He was hot on her heels with grasping hands but she narrowly avoided him at every possible turn. Normally he would have been impressed by such agility but it only served to fuel his temper. With a cry of triumph he finally managed to grab hold of her and slammed her into the ground. "You will pay for your insolence!" He fumed as his hands closed around her throat. He wouldn't kill her. Thanos would have his head if he did. He only wanted to scare her into submission.

It didn't work though. She panted softly with a playful smirk on her lips. "Insolence you call it? It's only common sense. You can't use your magic here without being discovered and I'm familiar with the layout of this world and have connections throughout." He narrowed his eyes shrewdly as he listened. "If you want to find that portal we have to work_ together_," she emphasized. "As equals."

"Impossible," he scowled. "You are beneath me."

She giggled softly. "Only because you've pinned me down. But seriously Loki, you can't do this without me."

He worried that she might be right and hated the idea. "Why are you so eager to help? I'll still give you to Thanos in the end which will be your undoing."

To his surprise she wore a small wistful smile as she shook her head. "No…it will only be yours."

Normally he would have disregarded those words as her usual nonsense but there was something in her gaze that chilled him to the bone. It was as if she knew something he didn't.


	5. Chapter 5: The Advantage

Thor landed hard on the sandy shore of Myrtle Beach, spraying sand everywhere. He blinked in surprise as he sat there like a fool. Good thing it wasn't the usual tourist season or he would have stuck out like a sore thumb. He looked around in confusion as he slowly stood up. What just happened? Where is he? But what worried him most of all…was the fact that there had been no Kitsune with Loki. He had felt better believing that a divine guardian was guiding his brother's lost soul but the young woman accompanying him looked ordinary. Just what was Loki after this time?

He heard Iron Man touch down behind him. "Now is the hardly the time to take a swim…no matter how tempting it is."

Thor smiled gently at the joke and turned toward him. "No, there can be no rest until we find Loki."

"I thought you had him back there," Tony said as the mask receded to reveal his face. "What happened?"

"He has a hostage," Thor sighed as he lowered his head. He frowned as his eyes rested on a carved wooden horse. That was weird. He bent down to pick it up.

Tony rested a hand on his shoulder. "Figures, well we better head back to Headquarters."

Suddenly the horse glowed in Thor's hand and they were swallowed inside its blinding light. When it faded away they were startled to find themselves inside Stark Tower. The others looked up from their work to see them standing in the living room with wide-eyes. "Back already?" Steve asked. "That was quick."

Tony screamed and let go of Thor. "What the crap just happened?!"

Thor looked down at the wooden horse thoughtfully for a moment and then nodded slowly. "I understand you now Loki," he murmured.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked curiously.

Thor held it up. "This is what Loki is after."

The Avengers were a mix of exasperation and confusion. "Are you serious?" Tony scoffed. "Are Asgardians that starved for recreation that they invade other worlds for their toys?"

"Wait a minute," Natasha said as she took the toy from Thor. "This is 15th century. The detail especially on the mane is characteristic of the-" Her voice faded away as she realized how everyone was staring at her now. She reddened as she gave it back to Thor. "I'm a bit of a toy collector in my spare time."

"That explains a few things," Barton winked at her and she glared back at him.

"If it's that old, you'd think this would be in some museum and not lying around on Myrtle Beach," Tony said.

Thor held it up and inspected it thoroughly. "This must be a Zayren Relic. Long ago our ancestors enchanted seemingly ordinary objects to teleport between the worlds before the Bifrost was created. I intercepted Loki in mid-spell. He was on his way to this and shifted the spell's focus to me so he could slip away and escape."

Barton's brow furrowed. "It's not like him to run from a fight."

"He had a hostage with him," Thor sighed. "The only question that remains is why Loki is resorting to such ancient methods. If he is seeking teleportation the scorched seal in New York would have sufficed."

"Do the Relics have any power other than teleportation? Something he would gain if he obtained them all?"

"No the program is so ingrained in them that they are useless for other purposes."

Natasha smirked gently. "Well then that's obviously what he's using them for."

"But why?" Steve asked. "Why come to Earth at all just so he can find the quickest way out of it?"

"He must be after something…or someone," Barton surmised.

Steve groaned softly and pressed a hand against his forehead. "It seems that the more answers we get, the more questions we find."

* * *

Miko rolled her eyes at Loki who sat like a sullen child in the passenger seat. "Oh c'mon, are you still sore? It was an hour ago."

"I did not need your help," he said through clenched teeth as he refused to look at her.

"You did if you wanted that guy to sell us the car," she said matter-of-factly.

"I had everything under control."

"Threatening him to 'give us the car or else' wasn't working," she said with a smirk. "People don't respond well to that type of negotiation."

"It would have worked had you not intervened."

"He was going to call the cops on us!" She burst out. "I thought you wanted to keep a low profile."

She was right but he refused to admit it. Instead he focused on the view of the snowy countryside. It was plainer than the majesty of Asgard that he was accustomed too.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Miko smiled as she briefly followed his gaze.

Instead of appreciating the rustic beauty of the sight, he saw industrial potential. "It would have been had I had my way. Your race has abandoned it, left it to rot."

"What?" She cried out in disbelief.

He pointed out the window at specific areas and told her how he envisioned it. To her credit she listened silently as he painted a verbal picture of productivity and efficiency with natural resources being secured and controlled. She noticed a gleam in his emerald eyes and sensed a thrill of pride emanating from him. He was a born leader and his knack for leadership was obvious. "Now you understand," he smiled with pride.

"I do," she reluctantly agreed. "But there are more important things than just being useful."

"Such as?" He asked skeptically.

"Just enjoying something for what it is," she nodded back at the view. "For the simple beauty it provides."

"Wishful thinking," he murmured under his breath as he rested his head on his hand. "I would have made this Realm perfect."

"That would never happen," she said and then explained herself when he glared at her. "It's just that this country's foundation is its independence from tyranny. They pride themselves on their autonomy. Their ancestors died to preserve that right and many do today. They would never surrender so easily."

Loki lowered his gaze thoughtfully. Perhaps there was truth in what she said. Maybe that was how the Avengers, a rag-tag team of mortals with formidable skills, managed to fight off his invading force. At first he laughed at them, mocking their spirit and brave words. Let the ants curse him until he delivered the crushing blow. But it didn't quite turn out that way. Instead he was the one scrambling for shelter under the heel of defeat. Even the memory of it humiliated him. He should have won that war. It was supposed to be his destiny. Now he was learning that destiny is not molded but created. He had to carve it out for himself. He was meant to rule, whether it's Midgard or another Realm, he was meant to be King. "Everything yields under the right amount of pressure," he said smoothly. "Even Midgard will fall one day, whether to me or some other force."

"I beg to differ," she smiled in response. "We're tougher than we look. Surely you know that by now."

He grunted in response and silently watched the scenery pass him by. The car was a little cramped for his taste, but still it wasn't a terrible way to travel. Anything beats walking. Silence stretched between them as he lost himself in thought. He worried about the broken seal in Sleepy Hollow. It was not Thor's doing. He couldn't have, even if he'd wanted to. Loki is the only magician in Asgard skilled enough to tamper with ancient seals. It wasn't likely that Thanos was setting him up for failure…then what? Suddenly his eyes widened as he felt a wrenching twist in his chest. He swore under this breath as he cursed Thor.

"What's wrong?" Miko asked.

"Thor has used the Relic in South Carolina," he growled. "It's lost to us now."

"So what does that mean?"

He sighed. "It means that we're going to have to find another one." He couldn't use magic to locate the rest but he didn't have to. He had attached aura signatures to each relic during the chant when he located them the first time. He closed his eyes and tapped into his aura to recall their position to his memory. "The next closest one…is in a place called Illinois. Get us there by sunset."

She burst out laughing. "Yeah right! From Virginia? That's not going to happen."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you defying me?"

"I'm setting you straight," she said firmly. "There's no way this car will go fast enough to get us to Illinois in five hours."

"We don't have time to waste!" He snapped. "If Thor figures out a way to track down the others-"

"He won't," she said matter-of-factly.

"What makes you say that?" He asked skeptically.

"Magic isn't Thor's strength is it?" She asked and Loki shook his head. "The Asgardians who created them did not indeed for them to be found easily. It requires magical skill…something Thor doesn't have."

Again Loki felt a chill run down his spine, again there was that sense that Miko wasn't as ordinary as she appeared to be. "How do you know that?" He asked suspiciously.

She blushed slightly. She didn't want Loki to see her as anything but human. If he knew she was a Kitsune it would compromise her neutrality. She was going to have to bluff her way out of this. "It only makes sense, doesn't it?"

He had to agree with that and slowly nodded. He didn't press the matter further but still kept an eye on her. Miko found his critical gaze unnerving but refused to show it. "We'll take the interstate west and stay the night in West Virginia," she explained as she turned onto the freeway. "We'll also need to get some extra clothes and-"

"You attend to the details," he waved a dismissive hand.

"With help from you," she said pointedly as she glared. "We're in this together remember? Equals?"

"Never," he growled in the back of his throat.

She sighed. "You're stubborn and defiant in all the wrong situations." If only he'd been this block-headed when it came to Thanos' brain-washing tactics. Despite Loki's tough demeanor, inside was a vulnerable man who longed for acceptance. Thanos had given him that…but at the cost of his humanity.

The rest of the trip was made in silence. Around dinnertime, she pulled off the interstate and found a mall. They ate dinner in a little food court before she bought several changes of clothes, small luggage to carry them, and a few extra things they'd need. By the time they checked into the hotel for the night, both were tired and exhausted. The receptionist was a perky red-head with a warm smile. "Welcome! What sort of accommodations are you looking for?"

"Separate rooms," Miko said.

"Only one," Loki purred near her ear as he rested a hand on her shoulder. Miko flinched as she felt his lips tickle her ear. "I can't risk losing you during the night…should you decide to make a run for it." He whispered.

His closeness made her heart race. "One room," She quickly changed her answer as she elbowed him back. As they took the elevator up to their room she rounded on him. "I'm letting you turn me over to Thanos and have been beyond patient with your pig-headed attitude! I still don't see why you don't trust me!"

"I have a job to do," he said indifferently as he folded his arms across his chest. "I don't have to trust you."

"Well I wish you would."

"Why?" He asked with mild curiosity.

"Because you can't go through life doubting everything and everyone," She sighed as she rested her head against the wall of the elevator. "That's no way to live."

He frowned at that but nothing more was said. Once in their room, she set about putting away their things. He quickly made up an excuse so he wouldn't have to help her and stepped out of the room. He walked around for a while and then back-tracked. When he entered the room he did so silently that she wasn't aware that he was back. "Ugh I could really use a shower," she grumbled as she pulled off her shirt. He stopped and stared. Then her pants slid down to the floor. He smirked as his emerald eyes took in her soft features. She was attractive for a human, curvy in all the right places…and completely oblivious to his presence. She sat on the bed to pull of her socks and he slowly crept up behind her. She gasped as he rested his hands over her breasts and gently squeezed.

"You pervert!" She screamed at him as she whipped around to slug him. He easily avoided her punch and pinned her down on the bed. He laughed at her as she continued to struggle. "A woman should never show what she doesn't intend to share."

"I won't have if I knew you were here!" She snarled at him. Then she was stunned into silence as he leaned down and rested his mouth against the side of her neck. His closeness, his breath along her skin, unnerved her. She'd never been this close to a man before. She held completely still. "What are you doing?" She whispered hoarsely.

She gasped as his mouth ran down the length of her neck. He smirked with pleasure as he felt her tremble against him. He was just messing around and clearly enjoyed the effect he had on her. She might act big and tough, but in the end she was as weak-willed as any mortal. If he wanted too, he could probably bed her with little to no resistance. "If you ever undress before me again, I will _not_ hold back," he groaned softly for dramatic flare. Let her think he desired her…perhaps then she'd submit to his will and stop defying him at every turn.

To his surprise she started to laugh. He pulled back to see her grin mischievously. "As if you'd ever condescend to mate with a mortal."

He grimaced as the idea truly disgusted him. And in that moment he had lost the advantage he thought he'd won: she had called his bluff in the end. She pushed him back and sat up. "Touch me like that again and you'll regret it. And I won't hold back either," she smirked in turn.

And with that she walked into the bathroom to shower and he felt the sting of defeat as his pride was wounded once again. He was a God; superior to the likes of her…so why did it feel like she always had the advantage over him?


	6. Chapter 6: People Issues

Natasha's eyes ached and every now and again her vision blurred. Her back was stiff and her legs tingled as they fell asleep. That's what happens when you sit and stare at a computer screen for seven hours.

"You're still working on that?" Barton murmured sleepily as he stumbled into the room.

"I couldn't sleep," she said quickly.

"You didn't even try to," he chuckled as he came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. His fingers dug into the tight knots that had formed in her shoulders, loosening the tension with his expert touch. She closed her eyes and groaned softly as she let the feeling of relief wash over her. She leaned her head back against his stomach and smiled as his lips press against her forehead. "Now turn off the computer," he said in mild amusement. "Don't make sleep in that giant bed all by myself."

The reminder of work snapped her out of the comforting trance. She gently shook him off. "I'm almost done securing a trace with the Relic. It emits a random sort of energy with sporadic levels of power. Now I'm in the process of configuring an algorithm that will-" He reached over her shoulder and switched the computer off. "What did you do that for?!" She cried out. "I was on the verge of a breakthrough!"

"You're on the verge of a breakdown if you don't get some sleep!" He said firmly. He turned the swivel chair so that she faced him. "It can wait until tomorrow. Besides you're not the only one working on this. We're a team and we share the load." He knelt down on one knee, cradled her face in his strong hands and pulled her in for a gentle kiss. Their relationship was still new enough that it sent a thrill of pleasure down her spine.

They've always been close comrades in S.H.I.E.L.D, trusting each other when they trusted no one else. And over the years that bond had strengthened and deepened…maturing naturally into love. When he had first proposed the idea of being in a relationship, she thought him mad. Did he know how compromising that was? How vulnerable that would leave them? Still he was persistent and yet patient with her reluctance. He knew that love was something completely foreign to her. He had moved slowly and in time she came to accept his advances. Her only condition? That no one else know about their relationship. "I won't let you be harmed because of your connection to me," she had said. And since she had many enemies, her concern for his safety wasn't entirely exaggerated. To the Avengers, they were seen as friends. In the privacy of his apartment, they were lovers. It was in these quiet moments that he relished the opportunity to touch her, kiss her, to connect with her…and he wasn't about to let her to waste that precious time fiddling around on the computer.

She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. Her heart leaped into her throat as he slid his hand up the length of her thigh. She blushed and stiffened. Even though they've consumed their relationship some time ago, she still felt a little shy about being affectionate. To express her love for him left her with a strange sense of vulnerability. Barton immediately stopped when he realized that he was making her feel uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," he murmured sadly.

"No, don't be," she quickly assured him. "It's my fault. I'm the one with love issues."

He smirked gently as he tucked her scarlet hair behind her ear. "That you love me at all is enough for me."

She wore an exasperated smile. "Seriously no one else would put up with me like you do."

"Their loss," he grinned smugly as he pulled her up to stand. "C'mon let's get some sleep."

He climbed into bed as she changed into a silk nightgown. He cuddled her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder as he sighed in contentment. "I love you Cat," he whispered his special nickname for her in her ear. He called her that because of her incredible agility and also her fierce independence.

She smiled as she twisted around to give him another kiss. "I love you Bear," she whispered against his lips. She used to call him that whenever he'd get into one of his grumpy moods. It always made him smile. Then with a yawn she settled down to sleep in his strong arms. A pleased smile spread across her face. Oh how she enjoyed sleeping in the warmth of his bed. Long gone were the cold and lonely nights. Here the world felt right and complete for once.

First thing in the morning she was awakened by his cell-phone ringing. Barton didn't notice; he was always such a heavy sleeper. His snores rumbled from beneath the pillows. She checked the caller ID to see Steve's name. She couldn't answer it without arousing suspicion so she roughly shook Barton awake. "Huh? What?" He coughed out as he was still very much out of it. She handed him the phone. "Oh," he grumbled as he took it. "Who is this?" he growled thickly. "And why are you calling me at this God-forsaken hour?"

The Bear was back. Natasha smirked as she quietly slipped out of bed and took a hot shower. When she returned to the room, she found him getting dressed. "What did Steve need?"

"I'll tell you in a minute, c'mere first," he smiled as he pulled her onto his lap. "Good morning," he said with a kiss.

"Good morning," she smiled as she kissed him back. She felt self-conscious only wearing a towel but still enjoyed his gentle touch. It felt so good but there was work to be done. "Now tell me what Steve said."

"Killjoy," he teased as he nibbled on her earlobe. She playfully swatted him away with a giggle. "Alright fine, so far no one else has found a way to track the Relics. Thor's gone back to Asgard to look into it on his end, use Asgardian resources and whatnot. So in the meantime-"

"We continue working on connection traces?" She asked as she tried to stand up.

He refused to let go of her. "_They_ will keep working. _You_ will stay here with me."

"But why?" She asked in confusion.

"I told them that you're bedridden with the flu."

"What?" She protested. "Why on Earth would you lie about that?"

"Because it's an excuse to spend more time with you, that's why," he chuckled as he ran his hand down the front of her towel. She blushed but didn't stop him as he slowly removed it altogether. She closed her eyes as she kissed him hard. She tried to think past her insecurities and instead focus on the man she dared to love.

* * *

Loki woke up early to find Miko still on the floor, cuddled up with a pillow while muttering softly in her sleep. Last night she refused to share the bed with him and he wasn't willing to sleep on the floor. She had pouted. "A gentleman would give up the bed for me."

"Well I'm not a gentleman, I'm a villain," he sneered. "Besides you'd be perfectly safe in that bed. I have no interest in you." That didn't reassure her at all so she decided to sleep on the floor instead. He didn't care, more room for him.

He climbed out of bed, took a shower, and dressed for the day. He considered himself in the mirror. While he really hated the simplicity of Midgardian clothes, he had to admit that Miko had chosen well. When he left the bathroom he found her writhing in her sleep. Sweat beaded on her forehead, her teeth gritted, hands curled into fists. It must be some kind of nightmare. He knelt down and shook her shoulder. With lightening speed she punched him squarely in the jaw. He hit the floor with a grunt. She gasped awake and bolted upright. She stared off into nothing with a hand pressed against her racing heart. The horror of the vision still lingered…this wasn't the first time she's experience it. And she knew that it wouldn't be the last. Some time before Loki's arrival Thanos started tormenting her dreams. It only worsened when she destroyed the seal in Sleepy Hollow. He was livid at the delay and she paid the price for it in her dreams. It would only be a matter of time before it would happen for real…

"That must have been some nightmare," Loki grumbled as he sat up and rubbed his sore jaw. For a little human she sure packed a whallop.

She turned slowly to look at him and blinked in confusion. "What happened to your face?"

"Your fist remember?" He growled softly.

"Oh no!" She cried out in horror. "I thought you were someone else."

"Who else is there?" He asked in exasperation and then stiffened as she leaned in close and took his face in her hands. They were soft and delicate which surprised him.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured as she gently stroked the ugly purple bruise that was forming.

"Don't worry about it," he said firmly. "I've had worse."

_I know, and mostly at the hands of Thanos_, she thought to herself. Still she felt terrible to have caused Loki pain. She had nothing against him. Her expression softened sympathetically, reminding him forcefully of Frigga. She was a beautiful woman, graceful and elegant. But she was more than a pretty face; she was as compassionate as she was strong. She used to whistle a soothing lullaby whenever she cleaned his cuts and scrapes with such a tender touch. Embarrassed by the reminder he quickly turned away. "Let's find something edible to eat and get out of here."

Right, the road trip to find the Relics, she'd nearly forgotten about that. She nodded. "Why don't you use the phone to call room service and order us some breakfast? I'm gonna go get ready."

"What phone?" Loki asked.

She pointed at it as she gathered up her stuff. "Just pick it up, there's a menu right beside it. It should be easy enough to figure out."

He frowned at her mild insult but sat on the bed and picked up the phone. He held it out. Nothing happened. He heard a faint sound coming from it and brought it closer to his ear. "Hello?" The operator asked. "Is anyone there?"

"I'm here." He said slowly

"Good morning sir, what can I do for you?"

"I want breakfast."

"Good," she said cheerfully. "And what would you like to eat?"

"Anything that isn't repulsive."

There was a long pause on the phone. "I don't think we serve anything that's considered bad," she said hesitantly.

"That is good," he said appreciatively. "I need two orders of it."

"Of what exactly?" She asked in confusion.

He scowled. All humans are morons, too simple to understand anything complex. "I need two of your best entrees, what part of that did you not understand?"

To the operator's credit she remained civil…but the cheerful tone had lessened. "What's your name and room number, sir?"

"That's none of your business!" He bristled.

"I need to know where to deliver this, sir," she said firmly.

At this point Miko entered the room and saw him about to explode on the phone. She sighed as she took it from him. "I'm sorry about that ma'am. He's still hung over." She took the menu from his other hand and looked through it. "We'll take two early morning specials with coffee and spiced apple cider to drink. Yes make it out to Miko Hayashi Room 405. Thank you; you have a great day too." She hung the phone up. "You really have people issues, don't you?" She asked wryly. He glared at her but she laughed it off. "Don't look at me like that. I'm on your side remember?"

His temper simmered and was replaced by curiosity. Someone on his side? That's a first. How ironic that it happened to be his victim. He cracked a smirk at that.

"That's better," she smiled as she reached out and tugged on the other side of his face. "Now make it a full smile."

"Stop that!" He said as he swatted her hand away. She just laughed and went to pack up their things.

In a few minutes breakfast was delivered and they sat down to eat. Loki picked at his plate and made a face. "Here try this," She suggested as she sprinkled some pepper on it. "That should bring it up to your speed a little."

"Nothing could improve this disaster."

"Spare me the stubbornness, will ya?" She teased as she stabbed his eggs with her fork and popped it into his mouth. He chewed it thoughtfully, letting the taste linger on his tongue. She smiled. "Better?"

"Almost," he said as he poured more pepper on his food. His face lit up with delight as he took another bite. "Now it's edible."

"Good," she smiled. Her gaze dropped down to her plate as she smiled fondly. She remembered what it was like to get used to foreign food, even more so because she's traveled throughout the universe. The only downside is that she couldn't remember what home food tasted like; it had been so long since she was there. Being a Guardian is a one way trip, she'd never return home. Her life was meant to be one continual journey with people coming and going. While she enjoyed the adventures sometimes it was pretty lonely.

Loki gently kicked her under the table. "Hey, didn't you hear me?" He frowned.

She blushed. "Sorry, I spaced out for a second there."

"Will we get to Illinois today?"

She shook her head. "No, it'll take a few days." His frown deepened at that. "Hey, it's a big country. That's just the way it goes. But look on the bright side though; it gives us more time to get to know each other." She laughed at the face he made.


	7. Chapter 7: Battle of Wits

"This is friggin' impossible!" Tony snapped as he turned away from the plasma screen before he was tempted to run his fist through it. "There's no connection, no pattern, no clear energy identified…I have _no_ idea how Loki found those Relics!"

Bruce patted him on the shoulder. "Maybe it's because you don't have a magical scepter."

At this Tony snorted. "Too bulky for my taste…not to mention it'd clash hideously with my suit."

"Oh I dunno," Bruce smirked teasingly. "I'd think that Iron Man could make anything look good."

"Touché my friend," Tony nodded with thoughtful exaggeration. "That I can. Jarvis, make a note of that."

"One glowstick of destiny, coming right up," Jarvis said in his usual monotone.

"But make it bigger and fancier than Rudolph's." He instructed.

"Ah but then it would be too bulky," Bruce pointed out.

Tony let out a dramatic sigh as he pressed a hand against his head. "You're right. It's a true challenge indeed. One that will test my very genius and-"

"Any success yet?" Steve asked as the elevator door suddenly opened and he entered the room.

Tony turned towards him with an impatient frown. "Seriously, would it kill you to call ahead? How do you know that I wasn't walking around naked up here huh?"

"Because that would be pretty awkward with Bruce around, wouldn't you agree Doctor?" Steve smiled as Bruce shuddered. "Beside I had a feeling that you'd be up late too." He sat down at one of the screens with a heavy sigh. "I have to say this puzzle has me whipped. I can't make heads or tails out of it. Either of you had any luck?"

"No," Bruce hung his head sadly. "The data is too scattered and random to make any clear connection. Either we don't have enough data or its technology is beyond our understanding."

"With it being Asgardian I wouldn't doubt it," Steve said sadly. "Has Thor reported back yet?"

"Gods don't often condescend to check in," Tony said sarcastically.

"Well let me know when he comes back."

"Hey I just remembered something," Bruce perked up. "Didn't you say that Loki had a hostage?" Tony nodded. "Well shouldn't we look into that?"

"Yeah except that Thor didn't tell us anything," Tony grumbled." No details, no age approximation, and heck we don't even now if it's male or female. Nothing!" Now he felt ashamed that they'd been so hyper-focused on the Relics that they'd completely forgotten about the innocent life that was now in the hands of sadist. Who knows what he intended to do with it?

Bruce wasted no time in pulling up several new screens, his fingers flying like crazy as he opened several websites. "Surely there should be a missing person report or something. Let's start with Sleepy Hollow first."

"It's not much to go on," Tony said softly as he sat beside his friend. "But it's all we have."

* * *

After a few days Loki had to admit that being stuck in a car with Miko wasn't as bad as he'd thought it'd be. She proved to be more than a pretty face; she had wit and intelligence which revealed a clever side to her. Of course he never admitted that out loud but soon he came to find their discussions amusing. "So I heard about your little freedom speech in Stuttgart," she said once as they entered Indiana.

He smirked gently at the memory. How foolish the Avengers were to fall for that little stunt. Still it was also his one fleeting moment of domination. How quickly those cowards kneeled, so eager to give up their precious freedom just to save their lives. That is what makes humans so weak and why they will always kneel. His gaze drifted thoughtfully over to Miko. He somehow had a feeling that she never would…at least not to him anyway. Surely she would to Thanos and again his stomach knotted with dread. There was no hope for her, like there had been none for him. All fall before Thanos. Her teasing smile pulled him out of his gloomy thoughts. "And what did you think of it?" He asked curiously.

"More than a bit arrogant and plain old condescending," she said bluntly.

"They still kneeled," he said smugly.

"Yeah but how long did that last?" She asked keenly.

He flinched as she remembered that old man who challenged him. _Not to men like you_, he has said. _There are always men like you. _And even with the fear of death, he still remained on his feet.

"Freedom is more than just a belief or even an ideal," she went on, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. "It's ingrained on the human soul, so intricately a part of us that it can't be removed."

He chuckled grimly. "And yet for all your glorious words, in the end you will fall into Thanos' hand. There will be no freedom for you…or anyone else." Her smile faded away and the light in her eyes dimmed. He smirked with pride that his words had silenced her at last. Surely now she knew how silly and pointless her words sounded. Freedom is nothing but a lie. At last he had gained the upper hand over her. But the victory was short-lived as she started to smile again. "What?"

"You're so short-sighted Loki," she giggled softly. "You miss the big picture."

"And what is "the big picture" hm?" He asked pointedly.

"Its different for every person, you'll have to figure that out for yourself."

He shook his head wryly. "You're just making it up, aren't you?"

She laughed. "No I'm not!"

"Then what's your big picture? Huh? Tell me little miss know-it-all." He leaned in as he purred with mild sarcasm.

She was quiet for a moment and then finally said. "I know what Thanos has in store for me."

That surprised him so much that he stared at her in silence for a long time. "Do you really?" He asked in a hushed tone. She nodded solemnly, and he noticed that her gaze turned hollow…haunted. It was a look he was very familiar with. "Then why are you turning yourself in?" He asked incredulously.

As she smiled the light returned to her crimson eyes. "Because Thanos is not my end," she said with all seriousness. "My story doesn't end there."

He considered her thoughtfully for a moment as he let that sink in. Again he sensed that she wasn't as normal as she appeared. "Are you…a soothsayer?"

She giggled softly as she shook her head. "A soothsayer sees and knows all. I'm just a regular girl."

"Then how is it that you _know?_" he insisted.

She blushed slightly at his penetrating gaze. Her and her big mouth. "Well it's more like…"she tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "A sixth sense sort of thing, you know?"

He wasn't sure that he did but she didn't seem inclined to give more details. Silence stretched between them as she continued to drive. His gaze drifted out the window and he was content to watch the scenery pass by. It still amazed him how vast this country was. Either that or the car moved too slowly, perhaps a combination of both?

By sundown Miko pulled off the interstate and within the hour they checked into another hotel. Loki went to take a shower while Miko laid down on the bed with remote in hand and clicked the TV on. After surfing through the channels she perked up excitedly. "Naruto's on! Alright!"

Loki came out later to find her hugging a pillow close to her chest as she stared wide-eyes at the screen. "What are you doing?" He asked. She hissed at him to be quiet as she continued to stare without blinking.

He looked at the TV to see a young man on the screen with long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. His eyes glowed crimson and his expression was scornful. "I've had enough," his deep voice rumbled. "There's no hope left for this pathetic clan."

Then Miko squealed all fangirl-like as she fell back against the bed. "Oh Itachi you're _sooooo_ hot! I'd totally help you revive the clan!" She laughed as she kissed the pillow.

Loki stared down at her in complete shock. Who is this girl really? One moment she sounds wise above her years and now she's acting silly again. He didn't really know how to make sense of her sometimes. Then she groaned softly as her hand slid down the length of the pillow. "You might be bad but I'd be _so_ good to you," she whispered amorously. Whoever this character was, it was clear that she desired him. That irked him for some reason. He wasn't about to be outdone by some little man in a box.

"Why wait?" He chuckled as he approached the bedside.

She squeaked in horror as he knelt over her. She pressed the pillow against his chest. "Don't you dare!"

He yanked the pillow out of her hands and tossed it aside. "Are you really saying you'd rather settle for that when you could have me instead?" He smirked deliciously as he leaned in and bit her bottom lip. He relished how her body trembled against his, how delicately her cheeks flushed. All women are weak in the presence of an ardent man…even if he was faking it. It was all about the tease, the conquest, never about mutual affection. Miko was his assignment, his property, and perfectly within his control.

Then to his surprise she looked sad, almost pitying. That…wasn't a reaction he was used to…at least not in the initial stage of seduction. "Do you get pleasure from this?" She whispered faintly.

He smirked as his hand drifted down her front. His fingertips tingled at her softness…the soft, weak flesh of a vulnerable human. "You know nothing of men if you even have to ask."

She frowned and caught hold of his wrist to stop him with surprising force. For a split second she narrowed those crimson eyes. "Do you really think me so beneath you?" She hissed. "I will _not _be a plaything of yours!"

"Oh but you are." With quick reflexes he pulled out of her grasp, snaked his hand under her back and yanked so hard on her hair that she arched into him. She yelped with pain but made no further move to resist him. He chuckled softly as he ran his lips along her soft neck…he relished the fact that her pulse raced erratically under his lips. "You forget your place, little human," he growled under his breath. Feeling her squirm against him…was not an unpleasant sensation and for once he felt a flare of temptation.

She was silent for a moment, apart from her soft panting. Yes…he could feel her fear…taste her terror. It brought a delicious smile to his lips as he tasted the sweet flesh of her collarbone.

Then suddenly she spoke. "You play games with lives as recompense for Thanos playing with yours."

He stiffened for a moment.

"You want everyone to be as miserable as yourself."

He released her hair and frowned down curiously at her. "What nonsense are you spouting now?"

"I have more to offer than Thanos," she whispered with a soft, sweet smile.

He laughed at that as he climbed off and sat beside her. He no longer had interest in such a fool. "You? Don't insult my intelligence." He scoffed.

"That's just it Loki," she giggled softly. "That's the irony. You're smart and yet you can't see what's right in front of you."

His smile slipped away as he narrowed his eyes. His pride wouldn't allow for insults. "And what's that?"

"Thanos is just using you. Once he gets what he wants, he won't need you at all. You're just convenient."

His temper flared as he grabbed hold of her throat and slammed her into the headboard. "I am a GOD! And a King! NEVER forget that!" He snarled in her face.

Strangely enough…she remained completely still and looked at him through her long lashes. "Then why do you work for him?" She said softly.

To that…he couldn't bring himself to answer. Instead he squeezed harder, making her gasp. "Don't test my patience you mewling Quim," he growled. "Not if you want me to bring you back ALIVE."

And with that he let go and stormed out the door. He wanted to think that he'd finally showed her…and yet instinctively he felt that she had truly won this battle of wits. She asked the one question…he could never bring himself to answer. Why a God would ever submit to the will of another…is something no one ever wants to admit…least of all him.


End file.
